Fedco
Posted: 06 Apr 2007 00:16
Were FedMart and FedCo the same company...?
History and Commercial Archaeology of Chain Supermarkets and Other Retailers
https://www.groceteria.ca/board/
No. FedMart was a standard for-profit company. Fedco was a non-profit, membership-only store where the members owned the company. A good comparison would be a bank vs. a credit union, thought Fedco didn't paint "member-owner" on every parking spot. :)steps wrote:Were FedMart and FedCo the same company...?
I was going to use REI as an example, but it's not quite the same as Fedco. Anyone can shop at REI, not just members, but only members get the annual dividend, which is 10% of non-sale-price cash purchases. With Fedco only members could shop there and there was no dividend per se, that was supposed to be reflected in lower prices. (I, for one, wouldn't mind if REI would just give a 10% discount to members. It would get more people to join and I wouldn't have to wait a year to get my dividend.)rich wrote:Probably the largest chain to use a model something like Fedco's would be REI, which has a lifetime membership. REI shares profits with members through a dividend.
Ahhh...Thanks! Learn something new everyday!runchadrun wrote:No. FedMart was a standard for-profit company. Fedco was a non-profit, membership-only store where the members owned the company. A good comparison would be a bank vs. a credit union, thought Fedco didn't paint "member-owner" on every parking spot. :)steps wrote:Were FedMart and FedCo the same company...?
Fedco shut down about 10 years ago, sold their real estate to Target, used the money to pay off all their debts, and put the rest of the money into a charitable foundation. If only every bankrupt company was that responsible...
There's some discussion about Fedco vs FedMart at this thread: http://www.groceteria.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=572
As was GEMCO;)Dean wrote:FEDCO had a "lifetime" membership card. One would believe it is the lifetime of the shopper...yet in this case...the life of the store.
Of note for this location, the Fedco as it was, was completely torn down and Wal-Mart built in its place; This Fedco was probably the last one to open, as it was inside a former 3-story May Company that closed following the merger with Robinsons. Fedco made the lower level into a supermarket, the second and third levels were general merchandise. Fedco also installed two giant passenger elevators that loaded about 10-15 shoppers with their carts on one end, and when they reached their floor, deposited them out the other end...luckysaver wrote: 8450 La Palma, Buena Park: Walmart SuperCenter
The Main building is a Target. The original 2 level underground parking structure still stands too. One interesting sidenote, the old Fedco Parking lot across the street used to bear Fedco signs for a long time after they closed. I don't know if they are still there though today.luckysaver wrote: 3111 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena. Pasadena was split in 2 properties - the main store and somewhere down Colorado was the Furniture and Appliance Center.
Unless they've expanded it recently and haven't updated their website to reflect it, the Buena Park store is just a regular WalMart, not a Supercenter.8450 La Palma, Buena Park: Walmart SuperCenter